Immigrant Community Leaders Create Local People’s Climate Movement Action on April29In Partnership with Juntos: Our Air Our Water and other environmental justice communities and organizations

Albuquerque, N.M. – On Saturday, April 29, community leaders with Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund’s program Juntos: Our Air, Our Water have designed and planned a free, local sister People’s Climate Movement event to celebrate our connection and responsibility to our air, land and water called Familias Juntas por el Planeta (Families Together for the Planet). Juntos is working in partnership with environmental justice communities and organizations to put low income and communities of color at the center of the People’s Climate Movement action at a local level.

Martha Favela, Juntos Mother Organizer commented, “I represent mothers of my community who, like me, are concerned about the situation of our Latina/o/x families. We are certain that our children and future generations deserve a better quality of life and options that allow us to improve the lives of our family. In our area, we lack many quality services, such as green areas, bike paths, community gardens, low-cost organic food stores, clean water, clean air, and access to low-cost health services.”

Community leaders have designed a family event that includes a bike/run/walk and a gathering in Tower Pond Park filled with family activities, performances and tables for free community resources. This event will connect Latina/o/x families in a community impacted by environmental racism, promote clear air with healthy habits like biking, running and walking as families, highlight safe biking and walking paths in Albuquerque’s Westgate neighborhood and urge city and county leaders to consider alternative and safe transportation in neighborhoods that low income and people of color live.

“This type of event is a great way to give options to our community. As an activist and mother I am planning and participating in the day, sharing with other families and inviting them to participate. We know that Latina/o/x families have always been leaders in the conservation of our planet. Together we know that change can only be achieved by working together, it is our responsibility to care for our planet and take action for a future that includes clean air and clean water for the health of present and future generations of our families and communities,” Favela continued.

Juntos: Our Air, Our Water is a program of CVNM Education Fund in partnership with Chispa, a program of League of Conservation Voters Education Fund that works to elevate Latino leadership in the fight against climate change and for solutions like clean energy. Juntos launched in 2014 to organize Latino families in Albuquerque to protect their air and water from threats of contamination and to advocate for clean energy as a solution. Visit facebook.com/JuntosNM.